Automatic marker



June 25, 1963 H. J. CRANE AUTOMATIC MARKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 21, 1962 June 25, 1963 H. J. CRANE AUTOMATIC MARKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 21, 1962 tates This invention relates to marking devices and more particularly to such devices as are suitable for marking the ends of lumber or boards.

After lumber has been cut into standard sizes and lengths it i often desired that identification as to the maker of each piece be marked upon the end thereof. :Such markings enable the lumber to be subsequently identified without the necessity of removing any given piece from a stack.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide automatic means for applying such markings. Further objects are to provide such means which is of simple and inexpensive construction and which lends itself to the high speed application of such marks on a continuous basis and as an integral part of the manufacturing operation.

Accordingly, the present invention involves a machine for marking articles which can be driven continuously and in synchronization with a conveying system for the lumber to be marked. The machine comprises a printing head including a marker, yielding means for snapping the marker from a retracted position to a marking position and a latch for holding the marker in retracted position, means for producing a. backward and forward movement of the printing head between operative and inoperative positions, means responsive to said movement for returning the marker to retracted position and then for releasing the marker from said latch as the printing head reaches operating position.

In a preferred embodiment this invention involve a printing head which is continuously swung backward and forward about a fixed axis between operative and inoperative positions. As the printing head is swung away from the opera-ting position the head is cocked against spring pressure by a cam and a latch holds it in cocked position as the head swings back into operating position. As the head again reaches operating position the latch is automatically released allowing spring pressure to drive the printing head against the object to be marked. In this way no control need be exercised over this device other than that provided by the drive mechanism.

A more complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 is a plan view of a marker according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing the latch released and the head in printing position; and

FIG. 3 is a partial side elevation with the head in retracted position and with the latch engaged.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a printing head 1 comprises rods '2 joined at their ends by crosspieces 3 and 4. The forward crosspiece 3 carries a type plate 5 which is pivotally mounted by a pin 6 so as to be self-aligning with the end of a board 7 to be marked. The board may be supported in any suitable manner as for example by means of a conveyor C. The springs 8 maintain the type plate 5 in the normal position shown in FIG. 1.

A pivot member 10 is journaled in a frame 11 and includes openings 12 through which freely pass the rods 2, thereby providing a slidable mounting for the printing head 1 with the freedom of sliding motion being generally radial with respect to the axis of rotation of the pivot member 10. The cranks 13 and 14 (FIG. 2.) and the atent link 15 provide means for imparting an oscillatory motion to the pivot member 10 about its axis and thence to the printing head 1, the crank 14 being shorter than the crank 13 and being driven with a more or less continuous rotary motion in one direction only. One extreme of the swing of the printing head 1 is the operating position of the device as shown in FIG. 2. The rear crosspiece 4 carries cam followers 16 and as the printing head 1 swings away from the operating position these cam followers 16 bear on cam surfaces 17 integral with the frame 11 so as to cock the printing head -1 by pulling it back against the pressure of an actuating spring 9. The other end of the spring 9 bear-s on an adjustable guide 19 rigidly attached to the pivot member 10.

A11 ink roller 20 and an ink well 21 are placed in the path of the printing head 1 as the printing head 1 swings away from the operating position towards the inoperative position. In order to assure that the type plate 5 is evenly inked the corresponding portion of the cam surfaces 17 may be contoured so as to cause the type plate 5- to roll over the ink roller 20 with an even pressure throughout the contact.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 .a latch 25 is pivotally mounted by a pin 26 to the rear crosspiece 4 and is resiliently urged by the spring 27 so as to engage a mating surface 28 rigidly attached to the pviot member 10 when the printing head 1 is cocked (FIG. 3). The head is thus normally held in cocked position as it returns to operating position. With the printing head 1 in its cocked position, the type does not contact the ink roller 20 on the return to operating position. In this Way the roller 20 is turned in one direction only thereby assuring a constant supply of ink to the type plate 5.

When the printing head 1 reaches operating position an adjustable abutment 29 engages the latch, that is a device which releases abruptly at a sharply defined point in its travel, and frees the printing head 1 to travel forward under the influence of the spring 9 and strike the board 7 to be marked (FIG. 2). The cycle then repeats.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description is for the purpose of illustration only and that the present invention includes all modifications and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 861,296, filed December 22, 1959, for Automatic Marker, now abandoned.

-I claim:

1. A marking device comprising a frame, a pivot member journaled in said frame, a printing head slidably mounted in said pivot member with the sliding freedom of motion being in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotaton of said pivot member, an actuating spring resiliently urging said printing head away from said pivot memher, a crank and linkage mechanism for imparting a rotational oscillatory motion to said pivot member whereby the printing 'head is swung between an operating and a withdrawn position, a cam follower attached to said printing head, a cam surface integral with the frame and operating upon the cam follower in such fashion as to draw back the printing head against the actuating spring as the printing head is swung fromoperating to with drawn position, a latch interacting between said pivot member and the printing head so as to maintain the printing head in its drawn back state as said printing head swings from withdrawn to operating position, and an adjustable abutment attached to the frame and arranged so as to disengage said latch as the printing head reaches operating position.

2. A marking device according to claim 1 including a type plate pivotally attached to the printing head in such 4 manner as, to be self-aligning with the object to be removed from the path of said head as said head swings marked. from withdrawn to operating position while cocked.

3. A marking device according to claim 1 including inking means adjacent the path of the printing head so References cued m the file of thls patent as to contact said head as said head springs from oper- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS ating to withdrawn position, that path being somewhat 2,936,702 Columbuset al. May 17, 1960 

1. A MARKING DEVICE COMPRISING A FRAME, A PIVOT MEMBER JOURNALED IN SAID FRAME, A PRINTING HEAD SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID PIVOT MEMBER WITH THE SLIDING FREEDOM OF MOTION BEING IN A DIRECTION PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID PIVOT MEMBER, AN ACTUATING SPRING RESILIENTLY URGING SAID PRINTING HEAD AWAY FROM SAID PIVOT MEMBER, A CRANK AND LINKAGE MECHANISM FOR IMPARTING A ROTATIONAL OSCILLATORY MOTION TO SAID PIVOT MEMBER WHEREBY THE PRINTING HEAD IS SWUNG BETWEEN AN OPERATING AND A WITHDRAWN POSITION, A CAM FOLLOWER ATTACHED TO SAID PRINTING HEAD, A CAM SURFACE INTEGRAL WITH THE FRAME AND OPERATING UPON THE CAM FOLLOWER IN SUCH FASHION AS TO DRAW BACK THE PRINTING HEAD AGAINST THE ACTUATING SPRING AS THE PRINTING HEAD IS SWUNG FROM OPERATING TO WITHDRAWN POSITION, A LATCH INTERACTING BETWEEN SAID PIVOT MEMBER AND THE PRINTING HEAD SO AS TO MAINTAIN THE PRINTING HEAD IN ITS DRAWN BACK STATE AS SAID PRINTING HEAD SWINGS FROM WITHDRAWN TO OPERATING POSITION, AND AN ADJUSTABLE ABUTMENT ATTACHED TO THE FRAME AND ARRANGED SO AS TO DISENGAGE SAID LATCH AS THE PRINTING HEAD REACHES OPERATING POSITION. 